Incriminating
by lestrangexoxo
Summary: Draco Malfoy's known Cassie Marsh since they were kids, but something's changed. Are they more than friends now?
1. Camping

Draco stared around him. He was in a small field, with two tents and a fire. The black night sky stopped any vision beyond that. The stars twinkled and glittered, making the group occaisionally stare up at them as if they were on drugs, speaking of which:

Blaise passed a spliff around. He already looked like he'd had too much, his eyes wide and spacey.

Cassie took a drag, tried to contain a splutter, then passed it on.

'Whoa,' she muttered. 'someone tell me what the hell I'm smoking. I feel awful…'

'Yeah, you look it,' Draco grinned at her. She hit him in the arm. It was meant to be playful, but she hit him a bit harder than intended.

'What? You wanna play, Cas?' He said, smiling cheekily at her. He lightly pulled her hair to get her back for the punch.

'Owww… get off!' She laughed, forcing his hand away from her. He grabbed her wrists, and she didn't have the strength to fight back, she was laughing so much.

Pansy glared at them from across the camp fire.

'Get a room.' She said sourly, folding her arms.

'Lighten up! He's only having a laugh!' Cassie called back at her.

Draco slipped backwards off the bench, then fell off it, dragging Cassie down with him.

She landed on top of him, her legs on either side of him. Neither the pair could move through fits of giggles. Cassie couldn't decide if the situation was that funny, or if whatever was in the cigarettes was taking effect.

'Draco's gone hard,' Blaise teased, smirking as he took anoth drag of the cigarette.

Cassie bit her lip, and got off him.

'Sorry,' She was slightly pink. Draco sat up and leaned back on his elbows.

'S'okay,' He grinned. 'He was joking, you know,' He flopped back onto the ground. 'Ooh, stars,' He stared up at the sky.

'You're out of it, dude,' Blaise grinned at him. 'Hey, Pansy, is that bottle empty?'

She picked up a vodka bottle. 'No,'

Blaise took it from her and drained it.

'It is now.' He smirked.

'You're gonna pass out, Blaise, seriously,' Pansy warned him, but half laughing all the same. He slurred something back. She stared blankly at him.

'What?' She asked.

'Hmm…? Where did I put the box?' Blaise murmered, stumbling into the girls' tent.

'What box?' Pansy called after him. 'There is no box!' She peered through the tent doors.

'Hey! Don't go through my stuff!' She followed him into their tent.

Cassie exchanged a glance with Draco.

'Help,' Pansy called to them, she sounded a bit annoyed.

Draco and Cassie opened the tent doors. Blaise had passed out, his head on Pansy's ribs.

'Again, help?' Pansy said flatly. Draco shook his head.

'Be a shame to disturb him.' He replied, backing out of the tent.

'Hey! Cassie!' Pansy called after her, but she was already outside.

Both of them were slightly high, and Draco stumbled into his tent, Cassie following him. She caught her foot on something, and fell on top of Draco… again. They didn't move, they were laughing hysterically at it.

He sat up, pulling her onto his lap, her legs either side of him and her hands on his shoulders. He casually placed his hands on her managed to stop laughing for a while.

'So, Pansy and Blaise, ey?' He said, his eyes flickering slightly from the drugs.

'Yeah… he almost passed out on her boobs,' Cassie giggled. It set both of them off laughing again. She put her head on his shoulder, her body almost completely pressed against him. He was barely thinking at all, as he slipped his hand into the back pocket of her jeans.

Cassie didn't even notice, as she got distracted by the gold chain around Draco's neck.

'Ooh, sparkles,' She ran her hand around the chain. His shirt was already mostly un-buttoned, the spliffs had made everyone really hot.

She traced the chain with her palm, until she reached the small golden cross, the fell just below his chest. It hadn't really dawned on either of them what was going on. There they were, Cassie pressed against him, her hands on his chest and moving down his abs.

The smile suddenly vanished from his face.

'Ah!' His voice was a tight whisper. 'Cassie, can you just move… please,'

She slid off him, as he whipped around to face the tent wall.

Cassie tried to find something else to focus her vision on, but in a small tent, there wasn't much else to look at. All she could see was Draco facing away from her, fidling about with his trousers. She shook her head.

_It's probably not what it looks like._ She thought.

Cassie fell back onto one of the airbeds, and after a few minutes, Draco dropped down next to her. He exhaled and shut his eyes.

'You okay?' Cassie asked, still staring at the tent roof.

'Yep.' He said, his voice still sounded tense. 'You?'

'Fine.' She replied.

'Good.'

'Yeah.'

It could have been the drugs, or the drink, but whatever it was, Draco could not keep his hands off her. All of a sudden, he kissed her.

He'd half expected her to hit him again, but she didn't. She smiled into the kiss, as her hand slid to the back of his neck.

They kissed for about five minutes, before Draco decided it would be a good idea to take Cassie's t-shirt off. Something he didn't expect, was that she willingly pulled it over her head. He threw off his own shirt. Drawing her closer, he started trying to undo her bra.

A loud _bang_ sounded above them. Cassie jumped, breaking the kiss. Her eyes were wide with panick, as she sprang upright.

'Hey, it's okay, Cassy,' He assured her. 'It's okay, it's just fireworks,'

She nodded and lowered herself back onto the airbed.

'What are we doing?' She sighed.

'I know what _I'm _ doing,' Draco said honestly, his eyes more focused than they had been all night.

'I know what you're doing, too,' Cassie said.

'Yeah?'

'Yeah. You're staring at my chest.'

'I…' He tried to argue. 'Yeah.'

'Can you just pass me my t-shirt, please?' She asked, seeing at the other side of Draco's airbed.

'Not really.'

Cassie slapped him. Not hard, but enough.

'Whoa… shit, sorry!' He shook his head. Cassie sat up and quickly put on the first thing she found. Draco's shirt.

'That doesn't look at all incriminating.' He said sarcastically.

'Shut-up, I'm freezing.' Cassie told him, hurridly doing the buttons up.

Draco shook his head and smiled at her. 'Yeah, it is cold. If only I had my shirt.'

'Oh, come on, be a gentleman, would you?' Cassie smiled back at him.

'I am. That's why I'm not asking for it back,' He replied. 'But can you do me a favour?'

She shrugged.

'You ever seen Twilight Eclipse?' He smirked, glancing down at his sleeping bag.

'Yeah, but Jacob was a werewolf, and about a hundred degrees warm!' Cassie pointed out.

However much she could have argued with him, she still ended up in his sleeping bag, with Draco's arms around her.

'This doesn't look at all incriminating.' Cassie said. She heard him laugh, and smiled herself.

'You know earlier?' She asked slowly.

'Yeah…'

'Did you actually get a… I mean… well, you know what I mean.' She stammered. It hadn't sounded to awkward in her head. She'd known him since they were about eight years old, it was strange to think of him in that kind of light. Like this guy you've known all your life, it's strange to think of him even shaving.

'No, I told you he was joking.' He laughed, but it was slightly nervously.

'Nah… in the tent,'

He was silent for a while.

'Can we leave that conversation there, please, Cas?' He said finally.

She giggled. 'Awww, come on, I'm finding this hilarious really.'

Cassie put her hand out behind her, and forcefully ran it down his abs. He scooted backwards and grabbed her hand.

'Seriously, Cas, I'm fifteen, what do you _think_ will happen?'

They both burst out laughing.


	2. Good Morning

Cassie woke up the next morning, still wearing Draco's shirt, in his sleeping bag.

He was sat at the foot of the airbed, putting on his trainers. He smiled at her and picked up a plastic cup, and handed it to her.

'Oh my God, my head!' She moaned, covering her eyes with her hand. 'Bloody hell! I'm going to _kill_ Blaise!'

'Cassie, drink it.' Draco told her, as she took the cup.

She took a sip of it. It tasted sour and sort of like lemons.

'What is it?' She asked, glancing back at her friend.

'Fortunately for you, _someone_ is very good at potions. Hang over remedy,' He explained.

She grinned back at him and finished the liquid. It wasn't the best taste in the world, but after a few seconds her head felt fine and she could see properly.

'Thanks,' She smiled at him. He just nodded.

'Are you alright?' Cassie asked him, slipping out of the sleeping bag. He laughed.

'You planning to keep that?' He grinned at her, glancing at his shirt.

She smiled. 'Well,' She shrugged. 'I'll take it off if you want,' She joked.

He laughed. 'Nah, you're fine, thanks anyway,' His laugh was nervous though, as it jogged his memory of last night's antics.

'Look, about last night,' Cassie started, almost reading his mind.

'I think we should just forget about it.' Draco said quickly, un-able to make eye-contact with her.

'Right, yes,' She nodded. 'Yeah, it's… it's forgotten, then.'

'Cool. Yeah, okay,' He said. 'I'm gonna go… let you get dressed.' He managed to look her in the eyes for about a second.

'Yeah,' Cassie nodded. 'Oh! Could you get my bag out of the tent, please? 'Cause none of my stuff's in here,'

'Oh, right, yeah, of course,' He snapped his fingers and her bag flew through the tent doors. She caught it.

'Show off.' She smiled at him. It was knack to do non-verbal spells, and Cassie completely could not do it.

'Coffee?' He asked her.

'Yeah, sure, thanks,' She replied. He left the tent quickly, and zipped the door back up. Cassie sighed, somewhat releaved that the conversation had stopped. It was very awkward.

Draco sat outside. It was bitterly cold, but he was fine in just a thin jumper and skinny jeans. He'd got quite hot from embarrassment in the tent, so it felt a bit refreshing to sit in the cold.

Pansy was sat sipping a coffee, her arms wrapped around herself, shivvering in a blue Tornados hoodie.

'Now, I know for a fact, that's not yours.' Draco said to her. She smiled simply.

'It's Blaise's,' She replied. He knew Pansy didn't even like Quidditch, but Cannons were her local team, so out of them all it would be them.

'Oh,' He said, not really sure how to answer that.

She smiled to herself. 'Not going to ask how come I'm wearing his hoodie?'

Draco shrugged. 'Because it's cold?'

She laughed, slightly coldly. He didn't really want to know why she was wearing Blaise's hoodie, it didn't even enter his concience. But Draco knew Pansy had always had a bit of a thing for him, but he didn't believe she'd put on Blaise's hoodie to try and make him jealous.

'Well… you spent the night with Cassie,' Pansy said. 'Have fun, did you?'

He shot her a glare. 'To be quite honest with you, Pansy, I don't remember much. The effect of drugs, drink and God knows what else.' He said heatedly.

'Okay, okay, dropping it,' She held her hand up. 'I'll shut-up now, shall I?'

'That would be lovely.' Draco replied.

The zip on Draco's tent unfastened, and Cassie joined them outside. She had on a pair of denim shorts and black leggings, with a thick black hoodie.

'Morning, Cassie.' Pansy said shortly.

'Um… morning,' She replied, un-sure of Pansy's tone of voice.

Draco handed her a cup of coffee.

'So, what are we doing today then?' Pansy asked them, mostly to Draco. Cassie took a sip from her coffee.

'Oh, we said we were going into the wood today, remember?' He said. Pansy nodded.

'I don't think Blaise is entirely up for it,' Pansy glanced back at the tent. 'He's completely slaughtered. So I think I'll stay here,'

'Well, maybe Cassie and I could go then? You don't mind, do you?' Draco asked her, though it didn't really sound like a question. She shook her head. 'You up for it, Cas?'

'Sure, yeah,' Cassie nodded.


	3. Protective

The wood wasn't dark, the sunlight shone through the trees. It seemed quite pleasant, and it was getting warmer through the day.

'What rattled Pansy's cage this morning?' Cassie asked him, as they got a bit further into the wood.

He shrugged. 'I don't know,'

She nodded. 'You know I could hear everything in the tent,' She looked at him. 'You can't remember much of last night?'

He put his hands in his pockets. 'Yeah, I can. I remember everything, Cassie. But I'm not going to tell Pansy that, am I?'

She laughed. 'Right, yeah, of course.' She thought for a moment. 'Do you think she's jealous?'

'Jealous? I don't know… but she doesn't know what happened, so I don't see how she can be,' He said matter-of-factly.

'She likes you though,'

'Yeah.'

'D'you like her?'

'No.'

'Really?'

He glanced back at Cassie. 'If I liked her, I wouldn't have kissed you, would I?'

'Oh,' Cassie said. The sweeping statement before had left her a little short for words. 'So… who do you like then?'

His silence could have meant anything. But one thing it definitely meant, was that he was distracted by something. There was a rustling noise from close by.

Without warning, Draco pulled her behind a tree, and pressed her close to him. She put her head on his shoulder, and he put her hood up.

She didn't have to ask what was going on, it became apparent. There was only a few of them, but Cassie was scared out of her wits. She saw the masks, the bronze coloured masks, and the long black cloaks. Death Eaters.

Draco could feel her shaking with fear. He turned her head gently with his hand, so she couldn't see what was going on. He could feel tears on his neck, she was crying.

He waited until he was sure the Death Eaters had gone completely, before he spoke.

'Cassie, it's okay, they're gone,' He whispered softly to her. She nodded, but she was still crying into his shoulder.

Gently, he lifted her head with his hand, and wiped away the tears from her cheeks.

'You're okay, Cassie, you're safe,' He told her.

'What if they come back?' She wimpered.

He put his hand firmly on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

'I would not let _anyone_ hurt you, okay?' He meant every word.

Cassie nodded. 'Yeah, but your wand's back at the tent,'

Draco smiled at her. 'I'd have to fight them then,' He joked, and pretending to have a fist-fight with the tree. 'Yeah?'

Cassie laughed weakly. He grinned at her and put his arm around her.

'You okay, now?' He asked her.

'Yeah,' She smiled. 'And thank you.'

He didn't reply. He didn't want thanks for what he did, he wouldn't have hesitated to do it. Draco would never have forgiven himself if something happened to Cassie.

They got back to the camp. Pansy and Blaise were sat outside on the bench. Pansy ran over as soon as Cassie was in eye shot of her.

'What's wrong? What happened?' She asked quickly, pulling her into a hug. Even besides all the things they did that crossed eachother, they were still best friends. Blaise looked up at Draco, and nodded towards Cassie. Draco sat down.

'Death Eaters.' He told Blaise. Pansy spun around.

'Death Eaters?' She repeated, glancing back at Cassie. '_Here_?'

Draco waved his hand at her. 'It's fine, they went the other way.'

'I need a drink.' Pansy declared, going off into the glanced at his watch. 'It's only two o'clock.' He told her.

'I don't give a shit.' Pansy called back.


	4. Nothing?

Cassie sat in her tent, Draco next to her. Listening to Pansy and Blaise arguing outside. The story was that Blaise had slipped something into her drink.

'You should have told me!' Pansy screamed at him.

'Oh, it's not as if you minded, is it? No, you didn't mind when it was me with my hand in your t-shirt!' He retorted.

'You don't even know what could have happened! I could have been allergic to it!' Pansy yelled back.

'But you weren't!'

'You didn't know that!'

'I could have fixed it if you were though!'

'No you couldn't!'

Blaise thought for a moment. 'No, but I could have got Draco to do it!'

Draco shook his head inside the tent. 'He's unbelievable.' He was smiling though.

'You're unbelievable!' Pansy yelled.

'Told you.' Draco smirked. Cassie grinned back at him.

There was a drumming sound on the tent roof. Followed by more shouts outside.

'Oh! And now it's raining! Brilliant!' Pansy screamed at him.

'That's not my fault!' Blaise shouted back.

The tent doors ripped open.

'Draco, get out.' Pansy told him sternly. He did as he was told and got out of the girls' tent. Pansy zipped the door back up after him. She hit her pillow and threw herself down onto the airbed.

'Okay?' Cassie asked her, smiling slightly.

Pansy couldn't help but smirk back at her.

'Yeah, wonderful.' She laughed. 'Aghh, I hate him sometimes.' She shook her head.

'You love him really,' Cassie joked.

Pansy laughed. 'Yeah… I'm really madly in love with him,' She grinned.

'Speaking of which,' Pansy continued. 'what's going on with you and Draco, then?' She tried to make it sound as if she wasn't jealous. But it didn't work.

'Oh, nothing really,' Cassie shrugged. 'Why?'

'Just with you spending last night with him,' She said.

'Hey, nothing happened, you know. We're just friends.' Cassie said, maybe a little too defensively.

'Okay,' Pansy answered shortly. 'Just seems that your awfully close.'

'Well, I've known him forever, Pansy, we're gonna be close, given how long we've know eachother.' Cassie explained, her voice calmer.

'Yeah… well, when you put it that way,' She sighed. 'So nothing's ever gone on between you?'

'No.'

'Why?'

'What?'

'Why?' Pansy asked again. 'I mean, you've been so close, I was just wondering, there must be a reason nothing's gone on between you before.'

Cassie hadn't thought about that. 'I… I don't know.'


	5. Would You Shag Harry Potter?

They got back the next day, and the four of them went to Draco's house for a bit. His parent's were out for the day with family, so they had the house to themselves. They sat in his bedroom, music playing and Pansy flicking through a magazine.

'Oh, bloody hell!' She exlaimed suddenly, shutting the magazine and putting it down.

'What?' Cassie asked her.

'Harry Potter! What can I read without him appearing? Not only is he 'The Chosen One' or whatever, apparently he's some sort of sex-symbol now. That's ridiculous. If there's one person, I would _never_ shag, it's Harry Potter.' She said, half laughing.

Draco and Blaise started laughing then.

'So, you'd shag everyone else, but just not Potter?' Blaise asked her, grinning.

'Oh, come on, you know what I mean,' She giggled. 'I'm just saying, I don't think he's fit,' The guys were having none of it.

'Cassie, back me up here,' She turned to Cassie. 'Would you shag Harry Potter?'

'Ewwwe, no,' Cassie laughed. 'Scar? No thank you.' She joked. The lads found it hilarious.

'Hang on, hang on,' Blaise said, grabbing a pen from the table. 'Come here, Draco,' He pretended to be kind of flirty with him. Draco was laughing like an idiot. Blaise drew a scar on his forehead with the biro.

'There,' He seemed impressed with his work. 'It's Harry Potter!'

Pansy and Cassie were in absolute stitches.

'Hey, what time is it?' Blaise asked suddenly.

Draco checked his watch. 'It's half five.'

'Shit,' Blaise grabbed his jacket and got up. 'I was supposed to be in Diagon Alley fifteen minutes ago. So I'll see you back at school, everyone,' He opened the door.

'What you got in Diagon Alley then, mate?' Draco asked him.

'Oh, got a date,' Blaise grinned.

Pansy sprang up from her chair. 'What?'

'Shit.' Blaise muttered, he dashed out of the door and down the stairs.

'Right,' Pansy was straight after him. The front door opened and closed.

Draco and Cassie were straight to the window within seconds, looking down at their friends on the street.

'So it's okay for you to go and mess around with me in a tent, but now we're home you can go off and have dates with everyone!' She yelled at him.

'What? It's not like we're together or something, is it?' He shouted back. 'Unless you _want_ to be together? Is that it?' He continued.

'It's just… no… I mean that…' She couldn't even find anything to say back to him. Without any warning whatsoever, Blaise kissed her. She didn't fight back, she put her arms around him.

'What?' Cassie laughed. 'Those two should have their own show, they really should,' She laughed, moving away from the window.

'Bloody hell, my neighbours won't like that,' Draco said, still looking out of the window. He looked back at Cassie. 'He's just feeling her up in the middle of the street!' He couldn't help but laugh.

'D'you think it'll last though?' Cassie asked him. Both Pansy and Blaise were as bad as eachother with temptation.

Draco shrugged. 'Well, the heart wants what it wants, right?' Cassie simply nodded. She glanced back at him, but couldn't help but laugh.

'What? It's true,' He said back to her.

'I can't take you seriously when you've got a biro scar on your head,' She laughed. Draco smiled back at her, and nodded.

'I'd probably better wash that off before my parents get back, they'll think I've started some sort of fan club,' He laughed. 'Or that I'm actually gay and in love with him. Neither of which would be a good idea for me. Be right back.' He grinned at Cassie, who was still laughing at his comments about Harry Potter.

He washed off the scar in the bathroom. It only then dawned on him that he was in the house, alone, with Cassie, in his bedroom. Why would he keep putting himself in this situation? He shook his head. It'd be fine.

Draco walked back into his bedroom. Cassie was looking out of the window again.

'Anything interesting?' Draco asked her.

'Pansy and Blaise have gone now. Walked down the street holding hands. Cute.' Cassie said, a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

Draco nodded. 'Good for them,' He said shortly. 'Can't control your heart.'

'You keep saying that, but what does _your_ heart want?' Cassie asked him.

He looked at her then smiled, and lay back on the sofa.

'What it can't have.' He told her.


	6. Interrogation

The Hogwarts Express left at eleven exactly. Cassie sat in a compartment with some of her friends. Pansy was there, and two other girls called Stacey and Nicole, who were both in Ravenclaw.

'So, hang on,' Stacey said to Pansy. 'So… you got high with him and messed around in a _tent_, then he says he's got a date, then you have an argument, and he kisses you? What the hell?' She laughed.

Pansy shrugged. 'Well, you know me.' She grinned.

'No, no,' Nicole started. 'That's not the main thing. You had an argument with him in the middle of some posh street-'

'It's not _that_ posh,' Pansy interupted her.

'Come on, Draco Malfoy lives there, it's posh,' Nicole smiled back at her. 'But anyway, so you have this argument with him in the street, he suddenly kisses you and then you go back to his place and shag him. Very classy, Pansy, that's real nice.' Nicole said sarcastically.

'Hey, you can't talk can you? You can't even _remember_ losing your virginity,' Pansy shot back at her, but it was still friendly.

Nicole laughed. 'Yeah but that was… I was… okay. It's no different.' Nicole shrugged.

'And you,' Stacey turned to Cassie. 'You're telling me that you and Draco, drunk and a bit high in a tent, alone together, and _nothing_ happened? Not even a kiss?'

'Stacey, we weren't _that _drunk, we still knew what we were doing,' Cassie told her.

'Yeah, but he's a guy! What guy, even if he's still in control of his own actions, wouldn't leap at the opportunity to get into some girl's pants 'cause she's a little bit tipsy?' Nicole chimed in.

Cassie smiled back at her. 'He's a gentleman.'

'He's not normal.' Stacey decided.

'Yeah, but if every guy was like that, Stace,' Nicole said. 'I'd probably remember a lot more stuff.'

'No you wouldn't,' Stacey told her. 'Because if guys weren't like that, you wouldn't have had anything to remember.'

Nicole shrugged.

Stacey leaned forwards. 'Would you have liked something to happen though?'

'Ha, no,' Cassie told her firmly. 'And can you stop interrogating me?'

Stacey laughed. 'Sorry. I can tell you a bit about my holidays though, believe me, there's a lot to tell, I was -'

The compartment door slid open and Stacey stopped talking. Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway.

'Hey, erm… thought it might just have been Cassie and Pansy…' He said, looking embarrassed.

'Well, it's not.' Nicole said flatly.

'We were just talking about you, actually,' Stacey said to him. He glanced back at Cassie for a second.

'Oh? And what were you saying?' He asked her.

'Just talking about what a gentleman you must be, if you spent the night in the tent with Cassie, and _nothing_ happened.' Stacey explained.

'I… right,' Draco muttered, nervously running his hand through his hair. But he wasn't such a gentleman, and this made him feel quite guilty.

'So, any reason you were planning to steal my girls, Draco?' Nicole questioned him.

'I… no, I was just coming to talk. No big deal,' He shrugged. 'I'll see you later,'

'You can stay if you like,' Stacey told him, a cheeky grin on her face.

'No, it's fine,' He laughed. 'You've probably got important things to talk about… like me, for instance,' He joked, then shut the door behind him as he left.

'That is _not_ why he came.' Stacey stated.

'Yeah?' Cassie asked her.

'Yes. I don't know what he did come for, but it wasn't that.'

Nicole hand an idea. 'Cassie, why don't you go find out?'

'What?'

'You could find out what he wanted,' She shrugged. 'He'll tell you, won't he? 'Cause he wants to shag you, or something.'

'Or something?' Cassie laughed.

'Well, you never know what they've got in mind, right?' Nicole grinned.

Cassie got up. 'Fine, fine,'

'And don't act like you weren't pleased to be asked!' Stacey smiled.

Cassie left the compartment, she could see Draco walking off to the other end of the train. She caught up with him.

'Hey,' She said brightly.

'Oh, hey, Cassie,' Draco smiled back at her.

'Erm, I just wanted to ask, you know, erm… Stacey said you hadn't come to just talk.' Cassie said un-surely.

'Did she?' Draco smiled. 'That's interesting.'

'Yeah… so I just wondered what you had come for,' She asked hopefully.

'Well, believe it or not, I did just want to talk.' He replied.

'Right,' Cassie nodded. 'So, Pansy and Blaise, right, you heard what happened after they left?'

He nodded. 'Yep. In maybe a bit more detail than I would have wanted to hear, but you know Blaise, once he's talking.'

'Yeah.'

'But, if that's what keeps them happy, it's okay,' He sighed.

'Right.' Cassie agreed weakly.

'Look, erm, I'll catch up with we get back to school, okay? I gotta go,' He was looking behind Cassie and down the corridor of the train. Harry Potter was approaching, alone.

'Okay, I'll see you later,' Cassie said back and began walking back to her compartment.

'Alright, Potter?' She couldn't resist.

He glared at her.

'Just asking,' She put her hands up. 'I try and be friendly, and look what it gets me.'

'Yeah, really friendly, Marsh.' Harry retorted, using Cassie's surname.

'Hmm, have it your way then,' She shrugged. 'I don't have to be nice to you.'

'No. You don't.'

'Although, apparently, all the magazine say your some sort of sex-symbol now,' Cassie informed him.

'Oh really.'

'Am I keeping you from other, more interesting, events, Potter?' She asked him, noticing that he wasn't really talking to her.

'Sort-of.'

'Oh right, why didn't you say? You usually do,' Cassie said. 'Go on then, go and save the world, or whatever it is you're doing.'

He glared at her as if he was about to say something, but he didn't. He just walked off down the corridor, in the direction of Draco.


	7. I Kicked Harry Potter or Exploding Snap

Everyone got to school that night at around five. The sorting went on for a while, and it was only after it had finished that Harry Potter finally decided to put in an appearance.

'Is that blood on his face?' Cassie whispered to Draco, sat next to her.

'Yeah.' He replied, a smile on his face.

'What are you smiling about?' She asked him, nudging him lightly.

'Ha, I know why he's bleeding.'

'Oh. Why's that then?'

Draco looked at the table. 'I kicked him in the face.'

Blaise laughed across the table, and high-fived him. Cassie wasn't too impressed with it, but then again, she'd have loved to kick Harry Potter in the face.

They got back to the common room about an hour later. There was always a bit of a party in the Slytherin common room on the first night back. They had a few bands within their house, so they put on a bit of a show.

There had been some dancing when they had just got in. Draco had danced with Cassie for a bit, but they went to sit down.

Pansy and Blaise had been, and would be, on the dance floor for a fairly long time.

'I'm bored, Cassie.' Draco sighed.

'Yeah, me too,' She agreed. 'I can't be bothered to go back and dance, if that's what you're asking.' She told him, a smile on her face.

'No, I can't be bothered either,' He said.

'I've got some exploding snap in my bag, if you wanna play that,' Cassie suggested.

'Yeah, sounds cool.' He said.

'You're going to have to play it in the dorm though, because I don't think loud bangs would do the band any favours,' Cassie told him.

'Oh, right, sure.' He agreed. Again, putting himself back into 'one of those situations'.

The girls' dorms were fairly different from the guys'. The guys had the heater, for one thing, this huge radiator that ran through the middle of the room. The girls didn't have that, and consequently, the dorm was freezing.

'Bloody hell, how can you sleep in here? It's freezing!' Draco commented, shivvering slightly.

'Yeah, I know. It always is,' Cassie replied, walking over to her bed, where her case was at the foot of the bed. She got the card deck out and slid under the covers of her bed.

'Brilliant. You get to be all warm in your bed, and I have to just sit here shivvering,' Draco joked. Cassie simply grinned back at him. 'Fine, fine, you give me no choice.' He smiled at her then slipped under the sheets at the other end of her bed.

Cassie shrugged. 'I don't mind. I shared a sleeping bag with you,' She told him. He went slightly pink as he remembered.

'Considering we agreed to forget about that… we sure talking about it a lot.' Draco told her, smiling awkwardly.

'Well, when you put it that way,' Cassie laughed.

They heard footsteps on the stairs to the dorms.

'Erm… just, I don't know… just duck!' Cassie told him, unable to think of anything else.

Janey, one of the girls Cassie shared a dorm with, stepped inside.

'Oh, hey, Cassie,' She smiled brightly. 'Good summer?'

'Yeah, thanks, Janey. You?'

'Cool, yeah,' She got something out of her case and put it in her pocket. 'You alright? Sitting up here by yourself?'

'Don't feel too good, thought I'd just come to bed,' Cassie lied. She felt a hand on her leg under the covers, and tried her best not to laugh.

'Oh, well, hope you feel better later, this looks set to go on all night though,' Janey walked to the door. Draco's hand was moving up her leg now. Cassie grabbed his hand, and bit her lip to stop herself laughing.

'I'll see you later, Janey. Have fun,' She said quickly.

'Yeah, night,' Janey left the dorm.

Draco pulled the covers off his head, as Cassie glared at him, joking though.

'Well that was fun,' He grinned at her.

'And not at all incriminating.' Cassie smiled back.

'You know, I could see up your skirt?' Draco said to her, a cheeky smile on his face.

'You shouldn't have been looking then,' Cassie told him, smiling back.


	8. Love Drunk

Everyone got back into their rutines pretty quickly. And with the change of teachers, everyone had a lot to talk about.

Cassie and Draco had yet to find out what Professor Snape's Defence Against The Dark Arts class was like, but they had a Potions class with Professor Slughorn on the first day of lessons.

Slughorn had gathered the class in the middle of the dungeons. There were cauldrons of love potions and various other things.

About five minutes late to the lesson, Harry Potter and his laborous friend, Ron Weasley, wandered through the door.

'I hoped he'd dropped it.' Draco muttered angrily.

The boys explained that they didn't think they'd got onto the course. Slughorn instructed them to collect some books. They began scuffling around by the cupboard with their backs to the class.

'Are they just trying to get into eachother's pants?' Draco whispered to Cassie.

She stifled a laugh.

'Something funny, Miss Marsh?' Slughorn asked her.

'No, sir.' She replied. Though it was hard to keep a straight face when Draco was sat next to her, laughing with his hand over his mouth to hide it.

They started to work. It was beyond Cassie how she'd even manged to get onto the course, but she reckoned it was more to do with her house than her grades.

She placed the spoon back on the table, still staring down at the disaster in the cauldron in front of her. There was a _smash_, but thankfully the classroom was loud, and no one heard it.

Cassie had knocked a vile off the table, the contests spilling directly onto Draco beside her.

'Thanks, Cassie,' He said sarcastically. She couldn't help but laugh at the unfortunate place it had landed.

'What is it with you and _this_ part of my body?' He laughed. 'It seems to be in a lot of incidents between us.'

He cast a spell and it was as if the the vile had never spilled.

'I'm going to go over there now… I think I've made this kind of awkward.' Draco said quickly, and walked off to the cupboard.

_He is right though_, Cassie thought.

Blaise had been himself again, and got all his mates high and a bit drunk. More so than in the tents. Draco had been reluctant to take anything because of his Quidditch.

'Cassie you look bloody awful. Seriously.' He told her, pulling her to her feet.

'Hey, Draco,' Blaise said to him. 'The dorm's over-heated… take her up there,' Blaise winked at him.

'Shut-up, Blaise,' He said shortly.

The boys' dorms were completely empty, and Blaise was right - seriously over-heated.

'Bloody hell…' Cassie muttered, taking her jumper off and un-doing some buttons on her shirt.

'Whoa, it's hot in here,' Draco said. 'Feel free to take more layers off, if you want,' He told her, throwing his shirt onto the bed.

Cassie didn't have to be told twice, as she took her shirt off.

Draco sat down and leaned against the wall.

'The wall's cold!' He exclaimed to Cassie, who immediately sat down next him.

'You're not going to think I'm a slag if I take my tights off, are you?' Cassie asked him, though she'd already started taking them off.

'No, it's fine. It's not like me taking my trousers off, is it?' He joked. 'Shit, I might have to. I may as well be wearing leather.' He glanced back at her as if for approval.

'Go ahead.' She told him.

It felt slightly wrong for him to take them off, but he did. When he thought about it, if someone came in now, this would look completely wrong; Cassie sitting in just her bra and a short skirt, and him in just his boxers.

'You're actually quite fit, you know,' Cassie said suddenly, glancing down at his finely toned torso.

'Thanks,' He smiled, and looked over at her. 'Not so bad yourself.'

She giggled. A silence took over. This kind of situation seemed to be cropping up too often. Cassie felt herself drawing closer to him, and next thing, she was on his lips. Again. She moved herself onto him as his hands ran over her body.

He pulled away from her. She had one hand running through his hair, and the other dangerously close to his boxers.

'I can't do this.' He told her, though it hurt to say it. He really wished he didn't have to say it.

'Why? Am I doing something wrong?'

'No, definitely not. I think you just found about half a dozen ways to turn me on,' He gently moved her off him. 'I can't do this. You're completely high on drugs, and… I'm not. It'd be unfair.'

'Really? You don't look like you want to stop.' Cassie said to him.

'Can you just give me few minutes.' He asked her, though it's not as if she could have said no. He stared up at the ceiling.

'D'you want me to put my shirt on?' She asked him, trying to be a bit considerate towards her friend. He nodded.

Cassie put her shirt on and sat back down next to Draco.

'You okay now?' She asked, her eyes calmer now.

'Yeah,' He smiled back at her. 'I feel under-dressed,'

Cassie laughed, then sighed.

'What's happening?' She asked him.

'What?'

'What's happening to us?' She elaborated.

Draco shrugged. 'We got older. Started to want things.'

'Like eachother.'

'Yeah, like eachother.'

'What?'

'Now's probably not the best time to discuss that,' Draco said, staring across the room rather than look her in the eyes.

'Is there ever going to be a good time?' She questioned.

'Probably not,' He sighed. 'But the amount of drugs you took, you won't remember anyway.'

'Remember what?'

'Exactly.'


	9. Remember?

Cassie woke up the next morning, feeling pretty awful. Pansy was still asleep.

_What the hell happened last night?_ Cassie thought, trying to remember something about it. It was just black in her mind.

Things started coming back to her as she thought about it. She remembered going with Draco the boys dorms… it was hot in there. She had taken her shirt off… and…? And he was fit, she remembered that, suddenly she remembered something else. _Oh shit_.

Cassie got dressed quickly, and practically ran out of the dorms. She sprinted down the stairs and into the common room. Draco was just leaving his dorm. He looked up at her.

'Hey! Draco, I gotta talk to you,' Cassie called to him. He stopped and waited for her to come over.

'Hey, Cassie,' He sounded reserved, like he was waiting for her to say something he didn't want to hear.

'Erm… look. Last night, I'm really, _really_ sorry,' She apologised. 'And it's just… I shouldn't… well…'

'It's fine, Cassie,' He told her, giving her a warm smile. 'Do you remember everything?'

She shook her head. 'No. I can just remember going to your dorm… and, erm, taking my clothes off, basically. And kissing you…' She was going a bright shade of pink re-telling all this.

'Oh, right… that was about it,' He lied, thankful that she couldn't remember the conversation part of the night.

'Look, I… what are we doing about it? Forgetting it again?' Cassie asked, not really thinking before she spoke.

'Yeah, sure… If that's what you want to do,' Draco tried to be diplomatic about it. Cassie paused for a minute, to try and compose her thoughts.

'I think we should forget it,' Cassie agreed finally. 'Every time something like this happens, one or both of us is on drugs or drunk… or both. So, it's probably best to forget it,'

He nodded slowly. 'You're right.'

'That's it?'

'That's it. Let's just add it to the list of things we need to forget,' Draco replied.

Cassie laughed. 'Yeah, so now we have a list.'

'Well… there's more than one event we're meant to be forgetting, so that makes it a list.' Draco grinned at her.

Cassie smiled back at him as they left the common room to go to breakfast.

They got to the Great Hall. Pansy and Blaise were having a massive argument by the Slytherin table about something, probably nothing.

'I've suddenly lost my appitite.' Draco said, watching the pair argue.

'Likewise.' Cassie agreed.

They decided to go and sit outside for a while. It was relively warm and the sun was shining, it was probably a good idea to go out and enjoy it while it lasted. They didn't get a chance to even start a conversation before Nicole spotted them and walked straight over.

'Hello there,' She smiled, sitting down opposite them on the grass.

'Hey, Nicole.' Cassie replied. Nicole glanced from Cassie to Draco, then smiled.

'I have heard something _very_ interesting,' Nicole continued. 'About you two.' She added.

'Oh really.' Draco said, not really interested in what Nicole had to say. They'd never really liked eachother.

'Yes,' She carried on with her gossip. 'Apparently, you two, were in an over-heated, empty dorm last night, for about two hours,' She glanced between them again. 'Still gonna insist _nothing_ happened?'

'Look, Nicole,' Draco said before Cassie had a chance to reply. 'To be honest with you, it's none of your business, is it?'

'So something did happen?' Nicole was onto it straight away.

Cassie stepped in. 'No,' She tried to laugh about it. 'Nothing happened, Nikki. And what does it matter if something had happened? And I said _if_,'

Nicole laughed. 'Because you two are completely in love with eachother! Come on, don't tell me you don't see it?' No one spoke for a minute.

'What?' Cassie said finally.

'You heard me. You two can keep acting like this forever and nothing would ever get done! And I don't believe that nothing happened. Not here, and not in the tent. But what I don't get, is why do you keep pretending it never happened? I don't understand,' Nicole shook her head.

'Nikki, nothing happened, _really_!' Cassie argued with her, trying her best to make it look convincing. She did feel bad about lying to her though, they were really good friends.

'You're lying,' Nicole told her.

'I'll talk to you later, Nikki,' Cassie sighed. Nicole grinned and got up from the grass.

'See you in class,' She gave Cassie a sort of knowing look, turned on her heels and left.

'Are you seriously going to tell her?' Draco turned to Cassie. Nicole was right. He didn't know why they kept saying they'd forget about it. It just seemed the only thing to do.

'What choice have I got? She knows I'm lying.' Cassie told him.

'So what about us then?' He asked her, hoping she would have some brilliant solution to everything.

She didn't get a chance to reply, before some one else was calling Draco's name from across the grass.

Ashley Urqhart, the Quidditch Captain was making his way towards them.

'Oh, hey Cassie,' He greeted her. 'You playing this year? 'Cause you know I'd keep a space for you,'

'I…' Cassie tried to answer.

'Good. You're playing, brilliant. Practice next week, be there,' He grinned at her. 'Anyway, Malfoy, I need a word with you, you just became very important.'

'What?'

'Potter's the Gryffindor Captain, and you have to beat him double as much, now.' Ashley said simply. Draco got up from the grass.

'Fine,' He said to Ashley. 'I'll see you later, Cassie,' He told her, then walked off across the grass with Ashley.


	10. Proposition

Charms started and Cassie had no choice to but to talk to Nicole. Draco hadn't taken Charms, but Cassie sat next to Nicole.

Nicole threw her bag under the desk, and sat down.

'Go on then, tell me what happened.' Nicole grinned at her. Cassie explained the tent situation first, then that they agreed to forget it, then about the night before, which they'd also agreed to forget.

'But _why_?' Nicole asked her.

Cassie shrugged. 'I don't know. It just seemed like the only option,' She told her honestly. They had never considered there could have been an alternative.

'Why can't you just go out with him?' Nicole questioned. She made everything sound so simple.

'What?'

'Go out with him. You clearly both like eachother, if you keep ending up in steamy make-out sessions,' Nicole told her. 'Why not just go out with him?'

Cassie didn't answer. She didn't know why they didn't do that. It made sense. But then it didn't, at the same time.

'I've known him for ages, Nikki, since we were kids. It'd be weird.' Cassie said. That was how she saw it.

'Then why isn't it weird when you keep getting off with eachother?' Nicole replied.

_Damn, she's right,_ Cassie thought. It wasn't weird when that happened.

'Look,' Nicole continued. 'You be like that if you want, but you know I'm right. However, moving on; there's a kind of seven minutes, spin the bottle type thing going on tonight. And don't ask who'll be there, because I don't know. Stacey told me to tell you. Tell Pansy though, 'cause I didn't want to interupt her this morning. So, you bring Draco with you, okay?'

Cassie sighed. 'Okay,' She agreed. 'But you'll jinx it so I end up with him!' She laughed.

Nicole grinned back at her. 'Would I do that?'

'Yes.'

Nicole pretended to think about it. 'Yeah, you're right. I would.'

'Please don't.' Cassie begged her. Nicole shook her head.

'I can't promise where the wand spins, can I?' She grinned back at Cassie.


	11. Store Room Secrets

At seven the girls and the guys left the common room to go to the old charms classroom, for Nicole's seven minutes, spin the bottle social experiment. Draco hadn't really wanted to go, and with Pansy and Blaise still not properly talking to eachother, they didn't come. But, Cassie had convinced Draco it would be a bit of fun - she hoped she was right.

'You know Nicole's going to jinx the bottle, don't you?' Draco said to Cassie, as the reached the door to the old classroom.

'Yeah,' Cassie replied, not looking back at him. 'But that's the game, isn't it?' She didn't give him the chance to answer, before she opened the door.

'No. No way.' Draco whispered the her as soon as the door opened. She saw what he meant about a second later. Harry Potter was casually perched on a desk at the back of the room, Stacey next to him with her hand on his tie, and talking closely to him. Cassie grabbed her friend's wrist before he could turn away.

'Seriously, Cassie, I'm not -'

Nicole skipped over to them.

'Hey!' She interupted whatever complaint Draco was about to make. 'Glad you came. And, sorry about that back there,' She nodded her head back to where Stacey sat with Potter and a few of his Gryffindor mates. 'Wasn't my choice.'

'Are they together or something?' Cassie asked her, still watching Stacey.

Nicole shrugged. 'Maybe. I don't actually know, she just told me she'd invited him,' She turned back to look at them and then back at Cassie. 'Personally, I think she's being a bit of a golddigger,' Nicole added. 'But don't quote me on that.'

'Wasn't gonna.' Cassie told her. Nicole grinned back at her.

'I see you brought him with you, then?' Nicole smiled at her, nodding towards Draco, who wasn't even listening anymore. 'Erm… hey, Draco!' She said slightly louder.

'What? Oh, hey,' He answered, managing to look back at her.

Nicole exchanged a glance with Cassie.

'Look, I'm sorry he's here, Draco, but I'm not asking you to kiss him, I'm only asking you to not cause a fuss, okay?' Nicole told him, slightly nervous about his reaction.

'So long as he doesn't talk to _me_, I won't talk to _him_,' He told her the deal. She nodded.

'I'll tell him the score.' She flicked her hair and walked off to the Gryffindors.

Cassie turned back around to her friend, the situation was now extraordinarily tense. She smiled weakly, he just looked back at her.

The game started after a while, and Stacey was the first person for the charmed glass bottle to land on. She stared at it a bit intensely when it spun for the second time, and there was no prizes for guessing who she was jinxing it to land on. It landed on Harry Potter. Stacey seemed pleased with herself, as she practically dragged him into the book store-room.

'What's _wrong_ with Stacey?' Draco muttered to Cassie.

She shrugged. 'Maybe he's nice to her.'

'He's still a bastard.' He persisted.

'Maybe so.' Cassie sighed, forced to agree with him.

About, well, seven minutes later, they returned. Stacey was grinning like the chesire cat, and Harry Potter was a violent shade of pink, with his tie looser and slightly lobsided. Nicole rolled her eyes at the pair of them.

She spun the glass bottle again, and it stopped on Cassie. She smiled back at Nicole.

'Okay, Nicole, no prizes for guessing who's up next.' Draco said to her, a smile on his lips.

'Hey, you told me not to jinx it… I'm not going to jinx it,' She grinned back.

'Oh, yeah, okay,' He replied sarcastically.

The bottle spun again, but it didn't land on who Draco thought it would. Maybe Nicole was telling the truth.

Ron Weasley looked up from the bottle. 'You're kidding.' He said quietly, his eyes slightly wide.

'Okay, you even touch her, and I swear-' Draco started.

Harry Potter interupted him. 'It's not as if he was actually going to go through with it!'

'Oh, and he can't talk for himself?' Draco retorted.

'I'm not saying that!' Potter argued, his voice getting louder.

'Well he certainly isn't!' Draco shot back.

Nicole stood up. 'Hey, come on guys, it's a _game_,'

Draco got up. 'I'm outta here,' he looked back at his friend. 'Cassie?'

'What?' She replied. 'I'm staying if that's what your asking. You know… with my _friends_,' She glanced back at Nicole and Stacey.

Draco didn't wait around for a reply, he lef the room, the door slamming behind him. Cassie felt a wave of guilt sweep over her.

Stacey and Potter got up as well.

'We've… umm… got better places to be,' She blushed slightly. They too left the room.

'Well… that was successful.' Nicole said flatly.

'Hey, erm, has anyone else noticed that I'm the only guy left… so if the bottle doesn't land on me…' He looked round at the girls.

'No.' They said instantly.

'Okay! Just saying…' He muttered.

There was a voice outside the classroom in the corridor. The three of them fell silent inside the room.

'What's that, Mrs Norris? Are there students out of bed?' Filch.

'Shit,' Nicole muttered. 'Look, I don't mean to abandon ship or anything… but I can get back to my common room 'cause it's only down the corridor. So, I'd advise you two to hide somewhere… store room, maybe? I'll be seeing you.' She said quickly, and left the room.

'And she's _not_ abandoning ship?' Weasley commented. Cassie ignored it and took Nicole's advise and went to hide in the store room. Weasley joined her and shut the door behind him. The room was cramped and dark, with a table on one side. Strangely, there were no books.

'Well this is cosy,' Weasley joked. Cassie turned on him.

'Do I look like I want to talk to you?' She asked him. 'Seriously? See the the badge on the robes? No, that wasn't an invitation. I'm Slytherin, you're Gryffindor. We _don't_ talk.' She told him, in a heated whisper.

He looked taken aback by her outburst.

'I just thought you seemed like a pretty decent person,' He told her honestly.

She paused for a moment. 'Well… maybe… maybe you're not so bad either,'

He smiled back at her. 'Thanks?'

She nodded. 'Yeah.'

Cassie sat herself on the wooden desk, Ron perched himself next to her.

'So,' He said. 'Don't think I'm being nosy or anything. But I couldn't help but notice - you and Malfoy?'

'I… Not like that,' She answered slowly. 'We're friends.' She told him.

'Right,' He replied. 'Sure didn't seem that way when that bottle spun to me.'

Cassie sighed. 'Well, yeah… he's a bit protective. And… well, he doesn't like you very much.'

'Yeah, I know that,' Ron nodded. 'But, erm, I just think it's right to warn you… so don't take this the wrong way,' He paused to think about how to phrase what he was about to say. 'I think he's up to something he shouldn't be.'

'Like what?' Cassie asked, confused.

'I'm not saying he _is_, I'm just saying he's been acting weirder than usual,'

'He's not weird.'

'It's a matter of opinion,' He continued. 'Anyway, I've seen a few things, and Harry's claimed all sorts of things,'

'Like what?' Cassie repeated.

'Like You-Know-Who,' He answered quietly. Cassie didn't say anything, she was in so much shock. 'We saw him in Diagon Alley, he wouldn't let the robes woman touch his arm, and then he went into Borgin and Burkes-'

'It's a shop. People go there.'

'Where a load of Death Eaters had gathered,' He continued.

Cassie was trying her best not to cry. She couldn't just take this Gryffindor's word for it. Of course he was going to say he thought Draco was a Death Eater, they think all Slytherin's are. But they're not, most of them are absolutely petrified of them.

'Look, I'm sorry, Marsh… Cassie,'

She shook her head. 'It's fine. It's probably just your mate being paranoid, anyway,'

'Yeah… he is like that.'


	12. Problem?

For the next few days Cassie had been quite bothered by what Ron Weasley had told her in the store room. She thought it was just Harry Potter being over-dramatic as per usual, but there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind that kept telling her that it made sence.

As if matters couldn't get much worse, the next Quidditch match was coming up, and it was against Gryffindor. She'd been to practices, but they had become really awkward recently, because Ashley, the Captain, had recently broken up with Charlotte, one of the other Chasers, and it made everything that much more difficult to co-operate with eachother.

There was just one more Friday night social experiment before the match on Saturday.

'Hey, Cassie!' Draco caught up with her as she was leaving the common room. She turned around.

'Oh, hi,' She replied breezily. They hadn't spoken much over the last few days. Cassie hadn't wanted him to do anything to provoke her to ask him.

'Where are you going?' He asked her, glancing towards the portrait hole where she was heading.

She sighed, desperately wanting him to leave her alone. 'To the old Charms room,'

'Oh, that's nice… why?'

'Nicole's game.' She replied shortly. He nodded, realising she didn't really want to talk to him.

'Look, Cassie, have I done something to upset you? You've been really funny with me all week,' He asked her quickly.

'I need to go. I'm late,' Cassie told him hurridly. 'We'll talk about it later.' Draco did call something after her, but she wasn't listening.

She got to the Charms room, and wasn't late at all, she hadn't been in the first place. There was just Nicole, Ron Weasley and his clever Gryffindor friend with the curly hair. Cassie smiled around when she got there, and slung her bag over one of the desks.

'You're early,' Nicole said, briefly looking at her watch.

'Ha, yeah. I got homework though,' Cassie explained, getting out some parchment and ink from her bag.

'Ooh, not good. What've you got?' Nicole asked her, wandering over.

'Transfiguration,' Cassie answered. 'I'm crap at it. And McGonagall hates me.'

'Oh, yeah, I got that, too,' Ron Weasley suddenly joined the conversation. His friend gave him a strange look, partly between a glare and being completely confused.

'Have you done it yet?' Cassie asked.

'Yeah,' He walked over to her desk and sat opposite her. 'Or at least, I tried. Then Hermione helped me.'

'You mean did it for you.' She corrected him sourly from across the room.

'Yeah, something like that,' He answered with a smile. He got the parchement out of his pocket. 'Here,' He put it on the desk.

'Thanks,' Cassie smiled back.

After about five minutes Cassie had managed to actually grasp what the aim of the homework was, and start writing it, before the door opened with a bang. Harry Potter walked inside, his arm draped around Stacey. Cassie exchanged a glance with Ron.

'Marsh?' Potter said in an accusing sort of tone.

'Yes?' She replied sharply.

'What are you doing?'

'Sitting.'

'No, I mean, what are you doing hanging out with my friends? Don't you get it that we don't like you very much?' He spat, dropping his hold on Stacey and talking a few paces closer.

'Hey, just calm down, mate,' Ron told him. Potter stared back at him.

'Has the world gone mad? What's going on?' He questioned him.

'Nothing. What's your problem?' His voice getting slightly heated.

'_She's_ my problem!'

Nicole jumped up and jogged over to the action.

'Just calm down, okay? There isn't a problem! And again, this game seems ruined before it's even started! Can't you come to _one_ game with your mates without causing a fuss, Harry?' Nicole told him. She started out calm, but was yelling at him by the end.

He looked shocked as he stared back at her. 'Um… right, sorry,' He apologised.

'Well, thank you, but I think you'd better go, Harry,' Nicole tried to sound sympathetic. 'And besides, you've got Stacey, you may as well just go and do whatever it is you do with her.'

'Right, okay, well…' He didn't say anything else. He just left, Stacey trotting after him. Cassie couldn't help but laugh as Nicole smirked back her.

'Had to be done,' Nicole shrugged. 'Somone had to put him in his place.'

'Damn straight!' Cassie laughed. 'No offence,' She turned back to Ron.

He shrugged. 'None taken. I don't really care what people think of him. He gets on anyone's nerves if he tries hard enough,' He smiled. Cassie was rather starting to like Ron Weasley.

His curly haired friend stood up. 'Well, it's getting late, and I have to go to the library,' Hermione said.

'Right, yeah… can I come with you, Hermione?' Nicole asked her, looking hopeful.

Hermione paused for a moment and studied Nicole. 'Fine. But I'm not doing your homework for you,'

'Agreed… but can you at least help?' Nicole pleaded. Hermione nodded and they left together for the library.

There was a short silence while Cassie thought about whether she could say what was on her mind.

'Ron…' She started.

'Yeah?'

'You know what you were saying before… about Draco…'

'Yeah,'

Cassie sighed. 'I'm not saying you're right, but I'm just saying I'm worried about him. He keeps on going off by himself, and he doesn't say what he's doing. I asked him about it, and he just makes excuses that I know aren't true,'

Ron looked back at her. 'It's alright you know, he might not be. It might just be Harry being stupid. You know he hates him, he might be making it up,' He was really trying to convay sympathy to Cassie, and try to help her believe that perhaps it wasn't true. But his eyes told a completely different story.

Cassie shook her head. 'No. There's something going on, and whatever it is - he doesn't want me to know.'


	13. Inevitable Outcome

Saturday. The day of the Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match. The team sat in the changing room, while Ashley paced up and down by the team board. He had always struggled with the idea of having the follow Marcus Flint, but he really tried his best. He sat down next to Cassie.

'God, Cas, I'm really gonna shit this up, aren't I?' He said, not really to her, but it contained her name, so she assumed he wanted an answer.

'No, you won't,' She said reassuringly. 'And even if you do, no one's gonna notice because me and Vic would cover it up,' She smiled back at him. He laughed nervously.

'Right, yeah, I guess you would,' He looked around at his team. 'And what about him?' He nodded towards Draco, who was sat by himself in the corner of the room. 'Is he gonna be alright? He doesn't seem like himself.'

'I know,' Cassie sighed. 'But he'll be fine,'

'And now that Potter's Captain? He still gonna be fine?'

'Yeah. That'll drive him even more.' She looked back at Ashley. He just stared back at her. He didn't believe a word she was saying, and Cassie wasn't sure she believed it herself.

'What's he done to his arm?' Ashley asked, suddenly noticing the bandage on Draco's left forearm. Cassie stared at it, her heart suddenly more scared than it'd had been in a long time. 'Cassie?'

'Oh, right, sorry. I dunno,' She stammered. Cassie tried to talk herself round in her head, she had to get her head back in the game if they wanted to win. She stopped thinking about Draco and started thinking about the Gryffindor Chasers. Ginny Weasley, what a bitch.

There were four sharp knocks on the door of the changing rooms.

'Let's go,' Ashley called out, and the team got up, heading for the pitch.

It was bitterly cold outside, and snow lined the pitch. Cassie shivvered, but she knew she'd warm up soon enough, once play started.

'Captains!' Madam Hooch called out to the teams. Ashley quickly glanced back at Cassie. She gave him a warm smile. He walked forwards to meet Harry Potter in the middle. 'Shake hands, Captains,' Un-willingly, the Captains shook hands, then quickly whipped around and stormed back to their teams. Surely the point of having the Captains shake hands is to get them so angry they have to play brilliantly.

'Positions!' Madam Hooch yelled. The teams kicked off and took their positions in the sky.

Madam Hooch swung open the case below them. She released the snitch first, and it began spinning around all the players. Then flitting between the Seekers above the teams. Potter was intensely staring at Draco, who seemed to be trying to avoid his gaze, pretending to be watching the snitch.

Next the bludgers went up, zooming around outside the teams. Finally, she picked up the Quaffle. The stadium went silent. She threw it up, and the game began. Victoria Carlisle grabbed it first, and dived off towards the Gryffindor goal. She passed it to Cassie, then back to Victoria when they got to the goals. Ron Weasley was in goal, looking shifty and very nervous. Vic smiled at him menacingly and teased him a bit, pretending to throw the Quaffle and then not throwing it. Just as Madam Hooch noticed, she threw it through the right hoop before she could foul her for it. Ron glanced back at Cassie, who simply smiled back.

Ron threw the Quaffle to his sister, who stormed down the pitch, dodging a Bludger on the way. Ashley was about to tackle her for the Quaffle, but she kicked him out of the way. Cassie sped up and caught her.

'No way, Marsh!' Weasley yelled at her, sparing a second to glance at her. Cassie tackled her for it, and snatched the Quaffle from her.

'Fuck you, Weasley!' She grinned back, doing a U-turn and passing the Quaffle to Ashley. Ginny's face went bright red and she became increasingly angry with Cassie.

Ashley threw the Quaffle back to Cassie as they got to the goals. She didn't have the time to spare a glance for poor Ron Weasley in the goals. She fired it through the left hoop. The Slytherin crowd were now singing some rhyme about him.

Ron got the Quaffle back, and passed it to Katie Bell. Potter swooped down to the goals.

'Hey, Ron! Get your act together! Don't let them get to you!' He called to him.

'I'm _fine_!' He yelled back, slightly angry that the Captain had to come down and help him out.

'Don't you have a more important job to do, Potter?' Cassie yelled back at him. 'I thought you were the Seeker?'

'Piss off, Marsh!' He shouted, before he zoomed off above her, as if he'd seen something.

Cassie joined the action back on the pitch, Ginny Weasley had the Quaffle and was dangerously close the goals. Cassie spun around and cut her off. Ginny kicked her out of the way.

'Shit, Weasley! What was that?' Cassie yelled, catching her up again and repaying the favour, by kicking her back, harder. She didn't drop the Quaffle, she just threw it at one of the other Chasers. Bell caught it and threw it threw the Slytherin goal. And that was where Slytherin's luck ended.

Ron Weasley got steadily more confident and started blocking goals. Later on, when the snitch began to get important, Potter seemed on top form, which was more than could be said for Draco. There was barely a fight for it. And Gryffindor won the match.


	14. Seen Something Weird

The common room was dull and glum when the team got back. It was never the nicest feeling the walk through into the room and know that most of the people in there completely hate you at that moment.

Cassie didn't bother to hang around and wait for one nice person to come up and say 'it wasn't your fault,' or 'you still played brilliantly,' as most of the time, no one ever said those things.

The dorm wasn't empty, which surprised her. Janey, the girl who'd almost walked in on a very awkward scene a few weeks ago, was sitting on her bed. She was reading a book, but her eyes weren't scanning the page.

'Janey?' Cassie said slowly, approaching her friend slightly causiously. Janey jumped and looked up.

'Oh, hey, Cassie. Sorry, I was miles away,' She forced a smile, and brushed her thick brown hair off her face.

'Good book?'

'Something like that,' Janey sighed.

Cassie sat down at the end of her bed. 'What's up?'

Janey shook her head. 'Nothing. I just… I just saw something weird,'

'Oh? What did you see?' Cassie asked, hoping with everything she could hope with that it wasn't to do with what Ron had been talking to her about.

Janey paused. 'I… It doesn't matter.'

'Janey, tell me.'

'Well… it's about Draco, you see…' Janey's voice trailed off to nothing.

'Yeah?'

'Right. Erm, well,' Janey composed her thoughts. 'I saw him, last week, going off into that room… the Room of Requirement, or whatever it's called. That place Potter used for his club last year. Anyway, he went in there, which I thought was strange anyway, but then I saw him later on in the week go in there again… and…'

'Go on, Janey. I won't say anything, I promise,' Cassie assured her. Janey nodded.

'Okay,' She sighed. 'And then yesterday, Pansy was messing around in the common room, you know how she gets sometimes. Well, she was being stupid and she put her hand on his arm, and all of a sudden he went really weird. He was really mad at her, told her to stop being an idiot, then left.' Janey looked up to meet Cassie's gaze.

'Oh…' Was about all Cassie could say. 'I think, Janey, I reckon we should keep this to ourselves, yeah?'

Janey nodded in agreement. 'Yeah. Totally.'

'Cool,' Cassie sighed. 'Quidditch was shocking, wasn't it?' She changed the conversation.

'No way. You, Vic and Ashley were on top form. Serious. It's just that bloody Potter, he was being ridiculous.' Janey replied.

'Yeah. He is sort of known for that.' Cassie smiled. Janey grinned back.

'Ha, yeah. I've never met him though, people say he's actually really nice,' Janey had never been one for tradition. She didn't really care that Slyhterin wasn't supposed to talk to him, she just hadn't really liked him very much anyway.

'Really?'

'Yeah. Apparently he's cool. But from what I heard, that Ron Weasley's supposed to be pretty genuine, too,'

Cassie just nodded.

'But you'd know all about that,' Janey grinned at her.

'What?'

'Oh, come on. You got him in Nicole's game-thing, she told me,' Janey laughed. 'Then she left the two of you alone in a cupboard for goodness knows how long,' Janey smiled.

'Oh, right yeah,' Cassie answered. 'But we were talking. That's it.'

'Yeah, okay,' Janey nodded, though Cassie knew she didn't believe her.

The door opened with a bang, and Pansy strode into the room.

'Hey,' She smiled. 'What's happening?'

'Nothing.' They replied at once.


	15. Suspicious Behaviour

_Yes, I am aware that the Quidditch match was AFTER the hogsmede trip. But does it really make that much difference? Maybe._

The following weekend was the Hogsmede visit. Draco had been more and more secretive with Cassie, and spending all together less and less time with his friends. But, Cassie had made him promise to join them on the trip, and after she told him the amount of time he'd been off doing something by himself, he agreed.

Cassie sat by herself with Draco in the Three Broomsticks. Pansy had gone off with some of her mates, and Blaise had got 'business to attend to' which basically meant; massive argument with a drug dealer.

They had been happily talking about random things, back like they used to when they actually spoke to eachother. It was nice. Then Harry Potter walked in.

'Shit,' Draco muttered as soon as he set eyes on Potter.

'It's okay, he's not gonna start anything,' Cassie told him. 'Look, Slughorn's over there, he _can't_ start anything.'

'I can't be here.' Draco told her, and got up quickly, turned a corner and vanished from sight.

Cassie sighed and took a sip of her drink. Ron Weasley came in with Potter, along with Hermione, his clever friend. Ron smiled at Cassie when he saw her. She returned it. He said something quickly to Potter, and walked over to Cassie, sitting down next to her.

'Okay?' He asked her, regarding the seat.

'Yeah, sure,' She smiled. 'I was here with Draco… but he disappeared when you and Potter came in,' She explained. Ron nodded.

'Yeah. Makes sense,'

'What about him?' Cassie nodded back at Potter, who was watching them and talking with Hermione. 'He's not happy.'

'Never is these days. It's none of his business, is it?' Ron answered, glancing back at his friends. Cassie couldn't help but smile.

'You played well last week, you know,' Cassie told him. He blushed slightly.

'Really?'

'Yeah,' She smiled. 'I mean, I'm brilliant, and you stopped like five of my goals, so you must be good,' She joked. He grinned back at her.

'Nah, I only stopped most of them through luck.'

'No way, you were good.'

'Seriously? I couldn't do it again without good luck,' Ron suddenly realised what he was saying and looked down at the table. Cassie was confused but dropped the topic anyway.

'You gave my sister a bit of a beating, though,' He said to her.

'Oh… yeah, sorry about that,' Cassie apologised, looking slightly awkward.

Ron shook his head. 'That's the game.' Cassie smiled.

They talked for a while, but it stopped when Ron noticed his sister across the bar. She was with some guy that Cassie vaguely recognised, and they seemed more than close.

'God, I gotta go, Cassie, sorry,' He got up.

'Hey, I'll come with you,' Cassie got up, too. 'I've got nothing to do,' He nodded.

'Thanks,'

They left the bar. Ron nodded a sort-of goodbye to his friends, who were less than happy about it.

It was freezing outside. Snow covered the ground and there were footprints all around.

'Anywhere you want to go?' Ron asked.

'Nah, it's too cold.'

'Damn right,' He grinned. 'We could just go back to school,' Cassie nodded quickly.

They started walking up the path that led back to school. A few metres ahead of them, Katie Bell, one of the Gryffindor chasers, was having an argument with her friend.

Harry Potter and Hermione joined them soon after that. For some reason, Potter seemed to be extremely nice to Cassie. They started talking about Quidditch again.

'I mean, it's not really down to the chasers anyway, no offence. I mean, the Seeker gets a hundred and fifty points for catching the snitch, so the Chaser's have to put in a fair amount of work to get that. No offence, of course.' He said.

'Yeah, but then again, it would be boring to watch just two players on the pitch, chasing a small golden ball, right?' Cassie laughed. He grinned at her.

'I guess. But after all, one of those players would be me, so… I think people would watch,' He joked.

'Oh, yeah, 'couse!' Cassie smiled back.

Before they could continue their Quidditch banter, a loud scream echoed in front of them. Katie Bell was lifted above them, the box she'd been holding was sent clattering to the ground. Her friend was screaming as well, but that was fright, Katie looked like she was in a trance. As sudden as it had happened, Katie fell.


	16. Accusations

The four of them were taken back to the school and told to wait in Professor McGonagall's office. Professor Snape stormed into the room to inspect the package Katie had been given. It was a rather ugly looking necklace.

'Very dark magic, Professor,' Snape told McGonagall.

She turned to the students. 'Why is it always you three?... And I can't even begin to desipher what Miss Marsh was doing with you,' Cassie bit her tongue to stop herself answering back.

'I know who did it.' Potter said shortly.

'What?'

'I know who gave Katie the necklace,' He repeated. 'Draco Malfoy.'

'You don't know what you're talking about!' Cassie yelled out.

'That is a very serious accusation to make, Potter,' His head of house warned him.

'I'm sure.' He replied.

'You can't be! He wouldn't do that!' Cassie was shouting at him, as Ron grabbed her arms to stop her hitting him.

'You may all leave,' Snape interupted. 'Miss Marsh, I'd like a word.' She shook herself free from Ron's grasp and followed her head of house out of the office.

He led her back down to the dungeons and to his office.

'Take a seat, Miss Marsh,' He told her. She took a seat. 'Must have been quite a shock for you, something like that happened before your very eyes,'

'Yes, sir,' She replied cautiously.

'Indeed,' Snape paused. 'Miss Marsh, I think it would be wise to refrain from the sudden surge of contact you've had with Mr Potter and his friends. People may start to get the wrong idea,'

Cassie thought about her answer for a moment. 'With all due respect, sir, you can't tell me who I can and can't talk to,'

'Of course. I can only advise you, Miss Marsh,' He looked her straight in the eyes. It felt almost as if he could read her mind. 'However, perhaps you might think about what you've been doing before you go back and tell your friends what Mr Potter is accusing your boyfriend of,'

'He's not my boyfriend.' She said quickly.

'Is that so? My mistake,' He nodded kurtly at her. 'It just… seemed that way,' he was looking back at her eyes now. She broke contact and stared at the floor.

'Sir, can I go now?' She asked him.

'Of course.'

'Thank you,' She got up and left as quickly as she could.


	17. Desperately Stalking Draco

Christmas got closer, and it came to deciding who was staying at school over the holidays. Cassie didn't usually stay, but she felt like she should this year. Draco was staying, which was strange to say the least. He never stayed at school. Cassie knew she should stay to support him, if there was anything he needed right now, it was support… whatever it was he was doing anyway.

Cassie caught up with him in the common room on the last day before the holidays.

'Oh, hey, Cassie,' He sounded glum. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and he looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks.

'Hey…' She only noticed then how long it was since they'd spoken properly. 'Erm, I was just wondering, erm, you staying this Christmas?' She knew the answer but suddenly her mind went blank of any intelligent things to say.

'Yeah,' He replied slowly. 'Are you?'

'Yeah.' She answered.

'Right. Cool, then,' He tried to smile at her, but it was just too awkward. 'Okay… well, I best be going,'

'Why?' She asked quickly, as he was about to turn to leave.

'What?'

'Why do you have to go?' Cassie repeated.

He stopped and simply looked at her. He hadn't expected that. 'Oh… I got a, erm… meeting.'

'A meeting?'

'Yeah, a meeting… with Snape.'

'Right,' Cassie replied, looking him straight in the eyes. He was lying, it was obvious. 'Well, I'll see you later.' She told him. He swiftly left the common room. Cassie couldn't stop herself doing what she did next. She followed him down the corridor in the dungeons, and straight past Snape's office. She knew it.

All the things Ron had said, and Potter's accusaions, what Janey had seen, and Draco sneaking off more and more frequently, they were all playing in her mind. It all added up. She desperately wanted to find a loop somewhere, something that didn't make sense, but there was nothing. Everything fitted together. But it was like finishing a jigsaw puzzle and not knowing what it is you've finished. Cassie didn't know _what_ added up. What was he doing?

She followed him up to the fifth floor, and then to a corridor with no doors. He stopped in front of a wall in the centre of the corridor. Cassie slipped behind a statue round the corner and peered around it. He was pacing in front of the wall, muttering something. This must have been what Janey was talking about. A door started to appear in the wall, and slowly opened. Draco hurried inside the door shut behind him, and vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Cassie remained still, staring at the spot on the wall.

'Cassie?' She heard someone behind her. She jumped around. Ron Weasley stood by the statue, looking even more confused than he ususally did.

'Um… hey,' She got out from behind the statue. 'hi,'

'What are you doing?' He asked her.

'Nothing… just chillin' behind a statue, that kinda thing,' She joked. They started walking down the corridor.

'Yeah? Cool,' Ron replied. 'Nah, really, what were you doing?'

'Well… I'll sound like a really bad friend now,' Cassie laughed.

'If you wanna hear something that sounds like a bad friend, I can tell you a story or two,' Ron smirked back at her.

She grinned. 'Okay, well. I was following Draco.'

'What did you see?' He asked instantly. Cassie noticed the question was that rather than _why_.

'He went into that room. You know the one that your lot used for that club last year?' She told him.

'The Room of Requirement,' Ron muttered.

'Yeah, that one.'

'Wonder what he's doing,'

Cassie looked at him. 'Yeah? I'm not sure I want to know.'

'Really?'

'Yeah,' She sighed. 'If he's into something dark, or he's working with the Dark Lord, then I don't want to be any part of that. The more I know about it, the less I'll _want_ to know. I'd rather he was into some Ministry conspiracy than working for the Dark Lord.'

Ron nodded. 'I get that. But you have to know one way or the other, Cassie. If he is working for You-Know-Who, then you have to be able to have your say, and have nothing to do with it. It'd be dangerous if you carried on hanging around with him.' He was right.

'I know. But I don't know if I'd be able to just cut him out even if I was in danger.'


	18. Are Death Eaters Sexy?

_Go to my PROFILE PAGE. HELP &OR IDEAS PLEASE. [01/sep/2010]_

The holidays continued, and very few people had stayed behind. Most people's parents were too worried about their kids to let them even consider staying it school. So there was no surprise that the Slytherin students somewhat outnumbered the other houses during the holidays.

Nicole had stayed at school, but it was her choice. Her family desperately wanted her to go home for the holidays, but she was certain it would be safer at school than it would be back home. She and Cassie were walking the grounds outside in the snow one Sunday, talking about Draco.

'So what's going on then? You've not spoken to him in ages… d'you still like him?' Nicole asked her, shivvering as she tightened her scarf.

'I don't know…' Cassie replied. She hadn't thought about it, she'd been more interested in whether or not he was a Death Eater.

Nicole nodded. 'I get it, yeah. It depends if he's dangerous, right? Although… if he _is_ dangerous, isn't that kinda sexy?'

'Not really. Would you say that if he was a murderer? Yeah, he'd be dangerous, but would you think he was sexy?'

Nicole considered this. 'Maybe.' She shrugged. Cassie rolled her eyes, this was unbelievable.

'So, Nikki, you'd date Death Eaters? Is that what you're saying?' Cassie asked her. She could make up her mind herself if she was joking or not.

'Erm, well, that depends if they were fit, a nice person, or someone I knew.' She explained.

'But you'd still date a Death Eater?'

'Yeah. I reckon so,' Nicole smiled. 'besides, it's Draco Malfoy we're talking about. He's all show and no drive. You know that. He'll go at Potter every time he sees him, but put him in a place he's not comfortable and he'll get out.' That was true. _Was_.

'Right,' Cassie sighed. 'So how'd you explain everything else that's happened then?'

'I'm not even going to try, Cas,' Nicole answered. 'I just think you shouldn't make it a rule that if he's a Death Eater, that you should stop seeing him completely.'

'Who's a Death Eater?' Some Gryffindor boy appeared by Nicole's side. Cassie recognised him, but couldn't quite place who he was. He was Irish.

'Oh, hey Seamous,' Nicole greeted him. 'No one, we were just talking.'

'Cool, it's a great thing to talk about Death Eaters,' He joked. 'Hey, but did you hear? The Weasley's house got set on fire,'

'Really?' Nicole gasped. 'Are they okay?'

Seamous nodded. 'Yeah, yeah they're fine. But apparently Potter dived outside to go and cause some trouble with the Death Eaters, but then _Ginny_ ran after him! He had to defend her from that Greyback guy, you know, the werewolf,' Seamous said quickly.

'Wow…' Nicole said slowly.

Cassie was speechless. But she knew one thing - Draco couldn't have been involved in that, he was at school. _He was._


	19. The Truth Part One

The common room was virtually empty when Cassie got back that night. It was lavishly decorated, as usual, with a bright white Christmas tree in the corner. She smiled to herself as she walked towards the dormitories.

'Hey, Cassie!' She heard from behind her. Snapping out of her day-dream, she spun around. Draco Malfoy sat at the table behind her, smiling. He looked tired, like he'd not had a proper night's sleep in ages.

'Oh, hey.' She replied. He gestured that she should sit down.

'No, thanks,' Cassie tried to smile. 'I was just going to bed.'

He seemed disappointed. 'It's just, we haven't really spoken in a while.' Cassie sighed. He was right, it had been ages since they'd spoken properly. She reluctantly sat down.

'So,' She glanced up at him. 'How are you?'

'Yeah, I'm okay, you know,' He shrugged. 'And how are you?'

'Good,' Cassie answered quickly. She sighed as she thought about what she was about to say. 'But I'm worried.'

'Oh? About what?' He asked her, slightly nervous.

She stared him straight in the eyes. 'You.'

There was a silence as it registered what she'd actually said. Draco's eyes flittered around the room, trying to find something to take the attention away from awkward questions. There was nothing.

'Why are you worried about me?' He asked finally.

'Because you've not been yourself recently,' Cassie told him. 'You're always sneaking off to places unknown and not telling anyone what you're doing. You're always really moody, and you look bloody awful – have you even slept since we last spoke?'

Draco tried to compose himself.

'I'm _fine_, Cassie. I've just been really stressed lately, you know… we've had a load of work to do, and with the exams and everything.' He tried to explain himself, but Cassie was in her stride now, and was having none of it.

'You're lying.' She told him blatantly.

'Yeah.' He nodded.

She smiled warmly at him. 'You know you can talk to me, Draco. I'm still your friend.' She said softly.

Draco nodded and stared at the table. He looked like he was about to cry.

'It's my dad,' He glanced back up at Cassie, his eyes suddenly filled with sadness. 'He's gone to Azkaban.'

Cassie sat in a shocked silence. She knew how much Draco idolised his father, and how close his family were, this would have torn them apart. He must have felt dreadful. But then again, she couldn't help but wonder _why_ his dad had gone to prison, there had to be a reason.

'Aren't you going to ask why?' Draco said to her, a slightly spiteful tone in his voice.

Cassie shook her head. 'Not if you don't want to tell me.'

'You'd probably leave if I did,' Draco said. He stood up. 'And as it happens, I quite like having you around.'

Cassie got up as well. 'Whatever it is he's done, it's not _your_ fault. There's nothing you could ever tell me that would stop me seeing you… I promise.'

He didn't say anything, just left her standing there as he walked up to the boy's dormitories. Cassie went up by herself, feeling like something was missing.


	20. The Truth Part Two

The holidays started to pass quickly. Cassie and Nicole spent virtually every day sitting around in the snow with Quidditch players, from any house. Seamus Finnegan had started hanging around a lot, and subsequently, Draco had stopped.

On the last day of the Christmas holidays, Cassie sat by herself in the common room, reading a book. She'd had it sent to her from her cousin for Christmas. She felt someone sit down on the sofa next to her. Cassie looked up.

'Hi, Cassie,' Draco smiled back at her. 'New book?'

She closed it. 'Yeah. Olivia sent it to me for Christmas.'

He nodded and a silence crept in.

'You didn't find me to talk about books, did you?' Cassie shoved the book onto the nearest table and turned to face him. He shook his head.

'No.'

'So what do you want to talk about?' Cassie asked him. She knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

'My father,' Draco looked her in the eyes. 'I wanted to tell you why he went to prison… I just didn't feel like I could before.'

'You don't have to, Draco. Not if you don't want to.' Cassie reminded him, seeing in his eyes the pain it was already causing him to remember it.

'I want to tell you,' He insisted. 'Besides, you said nothing would stop you seeing me, right?'

'Of course.' She replied quickly. He smiled weakly.

'He went to Azkaban because he's… erm… he's a Death Eater.' He looked at the floor. Cassie suddenly felt cold and numb. She knew this was coming.

Her mind was racing, replaying events faster than she knew possible. And what about Draco? She desperately wanted to ask that question, but tried to let it show.

'Go on, ask me,' Draco told her suddenly. 'Ask me that question.'

'I don't know what you mean.' Cassie replied, her voice weaker than she thought it was. He seemed quite taken aback by her tone of voice.

'Yes, you do,' He persisted. 'You want to ask about me. If I'm part of _it_, too.'

'Draco,' Cassie stared up at her friend, trying so hard to stop herself crying. 'I don't _want_ to know. I said nothing would drive me away, but I didn't say it wouldn't scare me. And it would. I don't want to think of you like that, I'd rather keep my memories of that boy who used to like to pretend to fly when we were ten. Or that boy who tried to teach me to levitate things on our first day at Hogwarts. That boy who hugged me all night when Sirius Black was on the loose in the castle. The one who told me everything would be alright when Cedric was killed,' She was crying, her eyes streaming with tears.

'The _man_ who I shared that night with in that tent.' She choked. He put his arms around her as she cried.

'Listen, Cassie, it's alright, I promise. No one and nothing will hurt you, okay? Not on my watch,' He lifted her head and stared her in the eyes. 'Understand?'

She nodded. 'Yeah… but are you…? I mean, like your dad?'

He didn't reply. Cassie slipped her hand through his, deliberately his left, and felt her fingers touch the bandage he'd been wearing.

'Draco, what did you do to your arm?' She asked him, her voice full of accusations. 'Draco.' When he didn't reply, she began to undue the bandages.

'Cassie, you don't want to do that.' He warned her.

'I know.' She answered slowly.

As she began to undue them she saw what she knew she was going to. The green ink etched under his skin, the scales of the snake. A teardrop fell onto the tail. Draco creased his eyes.

'Cassie, he'll know.' His voice was filled with panic as he realised what had just happened.

'Who? Know what?' Her tone mirrored his.

'The Dark Lord, he'll know. Your… your tear, Cassie. That's not just ink, you know.'


	21. Caught In The Act

Months passed by. Cassie had almost forgotten the incident at Christmas, but it nagged in her brain. Just those words as she watched the her tear drop on the green ink. The panic stricken expression on Draco's face. His words: _He'll know._

Cassie had been staying mostly away from Draco, keeping herself busy all the time. She walked down the fifth floor corridor by herself. She saw a familiar figure by the windows at the opposite end of the corridor. He turned and smiled at her. Ron Weasley.

'Hey, Cassie.' He grinned. She smiled and wandered over to him.

'Hi.' She replied.

'Feels like I've not seen you for ages,' Ron beamed at her and put his arm over her shoulder. 'Yeah, it's because you haven't.' Cassie laughed.

'True,' Ron smiled. 'I think I've missed you, you know.'

She giggled. 'Oh, yeah, of course you have.'

'No, seriously,' Ron told her, smiling down at her. 'I mean, considering we didn't like each other to begin with, I sure don't like it when you're not around.'

Cassie felt herself blushing. 'Thanks,' was about all she could manage. 'I guess I missed you, too.'

'Yeah, but whatever you do, don't let Hermione hear that.' He grinned.

'Are you two, like… you know, going out?' Cassie asked him. It had sounded less awkward in her head.

'No,' Ron answered quickly. 'We're just friends. But she's just… she doesn't like you very much. No offence.' He added. Cassie nodded.

'It's understandable.' She agreed.

They walked around for a while, just talking and catching up. After a rather awkward run in with Dean Thomas, they decided it was better to find an empty classroom and sit in there to talk, before anyone else had more questions as to why they were hanging out with each other.

'How did I even meet you?' Ron asked her suddenly. 'I mean, I know we've known each other since we started here, but I mean, when did I actually _meet_ you?'

Cassie thought about it. 'At Nicole's thing, remember? Spin the bottle!' She laughed. 'And you got me.' Ron grinned.

'I remember now.' He smiled. 'Did I even kiss you?'

'No.' Cassie giggled.

'Shame.'

'What?'

'Nothing.'

Cassie got up from the desk and walked slowly over to Ron, who was now a pale shade of pink. He looked up awkwardly at her.

'Because, I thought you said that it was a shame you hadn't kissed me…' She played with his collar, standing directly in front of him.

'Yeah… well, maybe it was a shame.' He got his confidence back quickly. She smiled back at him, her eyes sparkling.

He leant in and kissed her, his hands sliding around her, pulling her closer. She didn't feel as guilty as she thought she would, in fact, she didn't feel guilty at all. Not even as she took off his tie, or started undoing shirt buttons. Or even when she could feel his hands under her blouse.

There was a bang as the door opened. They quickly broke apart. Cassie whipped around as Ron hastily put his tie around his neck.

Professor Snape stood glaring at the pair of them from the doorway. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to.

'Weasley, back to your common room,' He ordered him. Ron didn't delay in leaving the classroom, he flashed a quick smile back at Cassie then he was gone.

'Miss Marsh,' Snape began. 'I think you know what I'm about to say.'

'Sir, it wasn't what it looked like…'

'Really? So what was it, exactly?'

'I… well… it was…' She stammered. 'It was exactly what it looked like.'


	22. Promise Me

After the most awkward conversation ever with her head of house, Cassie headed down to the Great Hall. Nicole would probably be down there, doing homework or flirting with guys. Either way, she'd be there. Cassie couldn't help but smile about what had happen with Ron, it made her feel fairly good about herself.

She got to the Great Hall just in time to see Draco leave in a hurry, closely followed by Harry Potter. Cassie stared back into the Hall, to see Katie Bell staring back at her. She didn't hang around to find Nicole, she tore off after the boys. She thought she'd lost Potter, but she saw him walking into the old girl's bathroom on the second floor. What was he doing in there? She ducked behind a statue and listened.

'I know what you did, Malfoy,' She heard Potter say. 'I know you gave Katie that necklace.'

Draco didn't reply. Cassie almost jumped out of her skin when there was a loud _bang_ as a spell was fired in Potter's direction. She didn't want to step in, their fights were always really personal, and really violent. It would be dangerous to interrupt them.

'_Sectumsepra!_' Potter yelled. Cassie thought about what on earth that was, she'd never heard that before. Then she heard a petrifying scream, followed by silence.

'Draco?' She called, stepping around the statue. Potter glanced frantically back at her, his eyes wide behind his glasses. Cassie followed his gaze around a corner.

Draco was lying on the floor, blood pouring from huge cuts in his torso.

'What did you do?' Cassie screamed at Potter. She got down to the floor.

'Draco?' She tried to grab his attention, but he was already out of it. His eyes shut, and his hands cold. 'I'm going to fucking _kill_ you!' She yelled at Potter. He looked genuinely scared as Professor Snape glided onto the scene.

'Potter, the Headmaster would like the see you in his office,' Snape sounded all too calm for the situation. Potter didn't speak, he just slipped out of the room. Cassie stared at her head of house, waiting for him to do something to save Draco. He didn't seem as urgent as would have been expected for the situation. Professor Snape got to his knees, and began to lighting tap the wounds with his wand, muttering something. The blood faded slowly.

'Miss Marsh,' Snape began, not looking up. 'Go back to the common room.'

'But sir-'

'Go.'

Cassie sighed and left the bathroom. She wasn't in the mood to argue. Knowing that Draco would be okay was enough, surely Professor Snape knew what he was doing, otherwise he would have rushed. No, the teacher was much to calm to let something happen to him.

The common room was buzzing when Cassie got there, but gradually it got quieter as people started to go to bed. Pansy came in quite late, her eyes glassy and glazed over. She smiled weakly.

'Hey.' She sat down slowly.

'Hi,' Cassie replied. 'What's wrong?'

Pansy shook her head, unable to speak. 'It's stupid, it doesn't matter.'

'No, come on, tell me.' Cassie told her softly.

Pansy sighed and composed herself. 'I had this argument with Blaise. I can't even remember what it was about. We just argued for ages and he stormed off. Cassie, I really like him, I don't want him to stop seeing me.' She looked up.

'He won't, Pansy,' Cassie said supportively. 'He'll realise he wants to be with you.'

'You think?' She smiled.

'I know.' Cassie replied with a grin.

The girls stayed up for a few hours, before Pansy said she was going to bed. Cassie told her she'd be up in a while, but she had to do something first. Draco still hadn't come back.

Cassie was just on her way out to go and find out where he was, when he dashed through the portrait hole. He looked flustered and panicked, his eyes wide.

'Cassie!' He grabbed her.

'Are you alright?' Cassie asked him quickly.

'Fine. But listen, you have to stay here, okay? Everything will be fine as long as you just stay here.' He explained frantically.

'What are you talking about?'

'I don't have long. Something is going to happen tonight, okay? You have got to stay here, it's the only place you'll be safe. Understand?'

'I…'

'Cassie, _promise_ me you'll stay here!' He said urgently, glancing at the clock.

'I promise, but-'

'I have to go,' He interrupted her. Draco began to walk away.

'Draco!' Cassie called out, he turned around. She threw herself around him in a hug. He couldn't help but smile.

'You'll be alright, Cassie,' He told her. 'But I have to go. And no, you won't see me in the summer. But I promise I'll find you when I can.'

'Will you write?'

'I can't.'

They broke apart, and he began to leave the common room.

'And, Cassie?' He turned back around.

'Yes?'

'I love you.' He shut the portrait hole and was gone. Leaving Cassie standing awestruck in the common room.


	23. Proposition or the Final Battle

There were noises not long after Draco had left. Bangs and crashes, shouts and screams. Cassie was left rooted to the spot out of fear. There was a sound right outside the portrait hole. She hurried out of the way of the door, reality suddenly sweeping back in.

The portrait hole blasted into pieces, canvas and wood flying in every direction. She dived behind the sofa to avoid them, shivering in fright. She expected to see a Death Eater in the space where the portrait had been, but she didn't. The person standing there was the last person she expected to see.

'Ron!' Cassie yelled, jumping up. He managed to smile, but only briefly. He rushed over to her.

'What's going on?' Cassie asked him quickly.

'Death Eaters,' Ron muttered. 'They're taking over the castle.'

'Where's Dumbledore? Can't he stop them?' She replied, her mind racing.

Ron shook his head. 'He's gone. He took Harry with him on some sort of mission. They're not back. The castle's almost defenceless. The Order are on their way, so that's something, and the teachers are trying to hold the Death Eaters off, but I don't know how long they can keep it up.' He explain hurriedly.

'What can I do?'

'What?'

'I want to help, Ron. I'm not going to sit here while they destroy this place!' Cassie told him indignantly, her eyes blazing like fires.

It took a few seconds, but Ron beamed back at her. 'Alright.'

They left the common room and took off towards the clock tower. As they got closer there was a sudden snap from above them – apparition. Harry and Dumbledore were back. They were almost at the clock tower, just one more flight of stairs, before they were intercepted.

Professor Snape stood blocking their path.

'What are you doing?' Ron barked at him.

'You're not allowed up there.' Snape replied icily.

Ron raised his wand at his teacher. It quickly flew from his hand as Snape non-verbally disarmed him.

'I wouldn't try that, Weasley,' Snape turned to Cassie. 'And you, Marsh? I expected better.'

'Then I'm sorry to disappoint.' She replied through gritted teeth. Snape simply looked at her.

'Planning to meet Potter, are we?' Snape said, a bitter chill in his voice. Cassie felt her head pounding, like she couldn't control her own thoughts. 'And you promised to stay in the common room? You shouldn't break promises.' Cassie clutched her hands to her head, as her skull felt like it was expanding.

'Stop it!' She screamed.

Suddenly the pain stopped, and she fell to the floor, exhausted. Snape stared above them, through the gap in the ceiling, and into the clock tower. Ron helped Cassie up from the floor.

She followed Snape's gaze, and watched the action above her. She was horrified. Draco Malfoy stood above, his wand pointed at their headmaster. He was talking in a whimper, but tried to overcome it. He was crying. Dumbledore tried to talk him round, tried to tell him this wasn't the answer. But Draco wouldn't listen. And still, Cassie refused to believe he could ever kill anyone.

She glanced around, Professor Snape had disappeared from sight. Suddenly, she heard a piercing sound from the clock tower. She heard _avada cadavra_ cut through the air like a knife. It wasn't Draco who'd said it – it was Snape.

Ron grabbed her arm, and tried to get her out of there, but once more they were halted in their tracks.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood in front of them. She held her wand out, pointed squarely at Cassie's chest.

'Don't you dare!' Ron exclaimed. Lestrange shook her head.

'Get out of here, Weasley.' She told him, her voice solid and mocking.

'No! I'm not leaving her!'

'Oh yes, you are,' She smiled menacingly at him, and slowly tilted her head to one side. In a flash Ron flew across the room, smashing into a bronze statue, rendering him unconscious.

'You're the girl,' Lestrange muttered. 'You're Cassandra Marsh.'

Cassie nodded slowly.

She laughed. 'I have a proposition for you,' She paused and studied her. 'Why don't you join us?... Like your boyfriend.' She stared into Cassie's eyes.

'No.'

'He said you'd say that.' She replied slowly.

'Who did?'

'The Dark Lord,' Lestrange answered coldly. 'He knows who you are, very much. He thinks you're a distraction to young Draco, the reason he can't complete his tasks.'

'Maybe so. But it's better that he doesn't complete them, if he'll end up in Azkaban for murder.' Cassie answered coolly.

Lestrange laughed, a cold, menacing laugh. 'You really believe that don't you?' Cassie nodded again. 'And what about me? How long have I been a faithful and loyal servant to the Dark Lord, and yet? Here I am. Free as I ever was, and happier than I ever was.'

'But you've _been_ to Azkaban – for murder. And you'd still be there if you hadn't escaped.' Cassie said.

'Yes, and no. To be a servant to the Dark Lord, or a good one anyway, you have to be clever. And you are.' She added.

'I know,' Cassie smiled. 'And that's why I won't join you.'

'Well then I'm going to kill you. It's a simple choice, Cassandra. Either join us, or die.'

Cassie stared her in the eyes. 'Would you really do that to your nephew?'

'What?'

'Would you hurt your nephew like that? Your own flesh and blood, pure blood to be precise. And you'd do this to him? To kill the girl he loves?' Cassie went out on a limb, to try and appeal to Lestrange's good side – if she had one. She held her nerve, and pretended to be more confident than she was, in the hope that it might seem convincing.

'I'm sure he'd realise that it was the right thing to do.' Lestrange didn't seem so sure of it.

'Really? And how would _you_ feel?'

'That's nothing to do with it.' Her voice was faltering.

'Sure?'

'Don't question me!' She snapped, her eyes suddenly cold and dark.

There were footsteps down the stairs. Both of the pair turned to look who it was. Draco Malfoy froze and stared at the two of them.

'Draco. We have to go.' Lestrange suddenly said, turning on her heels and striding away. He glanced at Cassie, hoping maybe she could find it in her heart to forgive him. Her eyes said otherwise. He walked past her, his head down, he'd failed her. Not only had he failed her, but he'd failed the Dark Lord as well. Who exactly was he trying to please? Because no one seemed any happier for the events that had taken place.

The castle was dismal outside, as the students and staff alike shared their grief for the fallen headmaster. Cassie watched from inside, as they all raised their wands to extinguish the Dark Mark that spread across the sky like a dark mist. She didn't want to go outside, even though she felt compelled to do so. Ron had joined them, he wanted her to come, but couldn't find the strength to persuade her once she'd declined.

She left the school after the term, and went home; dreading the next year to come.

_There WILL be a sequel. It will take place after they've left school. Voldemort has been killed, and everything has seemingly returned to normal. Feel free to leave ideas in reviews, I could use some inspirations. _Peace. :')


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